1 80 Rev. T. Hincks on British Zoophytes, 



I may here mention a marked variety of Campanularia volu- 

 bilis, of which I have seen specimens from the west of England, 

 obtained by Mr. W. Templer. This species, in its ox'dinary 

 state, has the rim of the cells cut into sharply-pointed and deep 

 segments. The crenations terminate acutely. In the variety 

 to which I refei-, the margin is cut in a somewhat castellated 

 fashion, the crenations being shallow and square-topped. So 

 they are represented in the figure of C. volubilis in Van Bene- 

 den's ' Memoire sur les Campanulaires,^ a figure which differs 

 widely from that of the same species in Dr. Johnston's work. 

 In other respects the English variety agrees with neither of the 

 figures. The cells are wide, and lined at regular intervals, lon- 

 gitudinally; the stalks of great length, of a greyish colour, semi- 

 opaque, and of much coarser texture than those of the normal 

 volubilis. There are one or two annuli just below the cell, but 

 othei-wise the pedicle is generally destitute of rings. 



CORDYLOPHORA LACUSTRIS. 



The discovery of this zoophyte in some of the London docks 

 has removed the apprehensions of collectors consequent on the 

 destruction of the old canal-boat from which it was first obtained 

 by Professor Allman, and has afforded opportunities of studying 

 more thoroughly its structure and physiology. The following 

 notes are offered as a contribution to its history. 



In September last I procured fine specimens of the Cordylo- 

 phora, some of which are still living in my possession, and have 

 produced several crops of polypes within the time. The polypes 

 soon perish and are soon reproduced. They do not drop off, 

 like the heads of Tubularia, but would seem to be destroyed by 

 a process of absorption. On one occasion a fine polype in full 

 health and vigour, which I had been watching for some time, 

 was observed suddenly to contract all its tentacula, which be- 

 came perfectly rigid and motionless. Meanwhile a strange fer- 

 ment was perceptible within the cavity of the stomach. A dense 

 fluid filled it, which was constantly flowing round the interior, 

 and in this granules of various sizes and in great number were 

 to be seen in restless motion, hurrying here and there, some just 

 entering the stomach, and others hastening towards the entrance 

 of the canal which traverses the polypidom. Within the latter 

 a like activity prevailed. While this unusual ferment was pro- 

 ceeding the arms were gradually shortening, until at length they 

 appeared as trifling inequalities on the surface of the body. The 

 latter also lost its characteristic shape and became contracted in 

 its dimensions, and was finally represented by a slight enlarge- 

 ment at the extremity of the medullary piilp, which had receded 



